I leaned back against the log that ran parallel to the river as I watched Chase try and turn the dark buck toward the bank. I took another sip of my beer and watched as an eagle flew down the river corridor and we all watched it for a while until we remembered we were fighting a steelhead. I looked back to Chase with his rod doubled, struggling against some sea-run thing slamming its head against a boulder. I remember that I caught the biggest fish of my life 2 hours ago. (Day 6 and ½)
Chase already caught a fish out of this run. Bryan did not. Sunlight hasn’t reached us yet and I watch my breath get caught in the bill of my hat. I look down at my line running straight and remember bending my stinger hook back into shape a few minutes earlier. I had never heard my drag make that sound before and I wished I could feel my hands more and wished whatever this thing was would stop running and stop swimming around that boulder. Bryan couldn’t get his hands around it so he wrapped his arms around its writhing body and fell into the shallows in a lopsided wrestling match. When I get to her I cradle her belly in one hand and grab her tail in the other and lift her from the water and gawk at how far apart my hands are. (Day 6 and ½ minus 2 hours)